Bootleggers

Bootleggers

In 1920 Congress passes the 18th amendment which made the consumption and distribution of alcohol illegal. Since there was such a high demand for alcohol in the United States, it caused gangsters and bootleggers to thrive in the 1920s. Bootleggers were people who smuggled alcohol into the country or produced it illegally. The reason they made so much money was because there was such a high demand, but such a low supply. Therefore they were able to charge up to three times the amount it was worth. Bootleggers got their name because they often kept the liquor in their shoe when they were negotiating with their customers. Not only high class Americans bought alcohol illegally, but almost everyone bought alcohol illegally. From the upper class to the lower class, to even police officers, many people had some illegal involvement during prohibition. Many officers bought illegal alcohol, or demanded money for the bootleggers to be free. Police officers sometimes even provided personal escorts for bootleggers. Prohibition also caused the first organized crime because many bootleggers formed alliances, and often alliances became into rivals and they fought over money. As you can see, bootlegging was caused by the 18th amendment, or prohibition. Prohibition was meant to be good for the states, but it ended up starting the first organized crime and a lot of illegal bootleggers. For More Information Please go to: [] __http://inthe1920s.com/1920s-bootleggers__